1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for production of canthaxanthin which is one of the carotenoid pigments. Canthaxanthin produced by the present process is useful as a natural red pigment in fodder additives, food additives, cosmetics and the like.
2. Related Art
It is known that canthaxanthin is present in a mushroom (Botanical Gazette 112, 228-232, 1950), fishes, and crustaceans (Carotenoids of Aquatic Organisms, Nippon Suisan Gakukai, 1978). In addition as microorganisms producing canthaxanthin, microorganisms belonging to the genus Brevibacterium (Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 55(10), 2505, 1989), and microorganisms belonging to the genus Rhodococcus (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-138996) are known. Moreover, canthaxanthin can be chemically synthesized by oxidation of .beta.-carotene (J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 78, 1427 (1956)) and synthesis from novel 3-oxo-C.sub.15 phosphonium salt (Paure Appl. Chem. 51, 875 (1979)).